Lakewood, NJ – Challenges aren’t foreign to our community and with the growth of our kehila come problems that need solutions. In a rare, but much needed collaboration of the available social services agencies available to the Lakewood kehila; a unique gathering was held this morning.

Preferred Behavioral Health, a NJ state agency, presented to the frum community today with its Mobile Response crisis services. The event was very well represented by the frum social service agencies. Among those attending were CHEMED Health Center, LCSC, the Special Children’s Center, Lakewood Community Safety Watch (LCSW), Hatzolah, Bikur Cholim, ASHRECHA Sober Living, RELIEF referral services, and other community activists.

The purpose of today’s meeting was to present a much needed service available to the frum community that can work in collaboration with the local frum social service agencies.

Mobile Response provides crisis intervention and stabilization services to children and youth exhibiting emotional or behavioral disturbances that threaten to disrupt family functioning.

Mobile Response arrives at the site of the crisis within one hour to diffuse the emergency and provide crisis intervention services for up to 72 hours. In addition, Mobile Response can authorize on-going stabilization services, such as in-home family therapy and behavioral assistance for a period of eight weeks. Mobile Response is familiar with the sensitivities of the frum community and has a number of frum professionals on their staff, as this is helpful to address the sensitivities of the community.

Mobile Response can authorize frum counselors to work with families if requested. Response workers also work with the family by assisting in the process of linking them to needed services in their community to meet the long-term needs of the family. Common situations dealt with by Mobile Response include oppositional behavior at home and school, depression, school refusal, fighting with siblings, etc. Mobile Response and Stabilization System provide 24 hour services, 7 days per week, 365 days a year. All services provided are fully funded by state funds with no cost to consumers.

To access services; call the statewide toll free hotline at 877-652-7642.